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Billie-Bonce — The Underworld Crossroad

#darkelf #cave #drow #dwarf #eurostar #fantasy #railroad #train #underworld
Published: 2012-05-19 14:21:09 +0000 UTC; Views: 5864; Favourites: 44; Downloads: 115
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Description Dedicated to the Underworld of Kazrrad in the world of Aiers, created, developed, depicted and described by , who recently reached a great milestone of 200000 pageviews

I know, Shabazik doesn't like such frivolous treating of his world. He tries to keep it within his original plan. Especially, he doesn't like any possibility of interaction of his fantasy world with our real world. But...

But since he started sharing his awesome drawings and long detailed descriptions, with each new pageview, with each new comment or watcher a new connection between these two worlds appear in somebody's mind. And not only in mind! People not only watch and read, they draw fanarts and write fanfics, and even do cosplay. And now in so many places on Earth there are connections with the world of Aiers (Shabazik has 1333 watchers and 1722 deviation views per day) that we may expect virtually any interactions between these worlds.

Even such as you can see on this picture Why not?

There are several popular characters from Shabazik 's world here, but actually they are hardly recognizable. The most important figure here (in Shabazik 's stories she was just a secondary character) is the one who tries to be the least noticeable. The drow in civilian clothes, pretending that she is examining the road sign. In fact, she had seen this sign so many times that she knows each tiny scratch on its surface. Though, she has no idea what is depicted on the sign - she had never seen anything like that on the rails (those road signs are a bit outdated, aren't they?). She is not interested in the dwarf paladins, and even less - in the slaver escorting three slave girls to Negeémiliel. But the excursion of the Initiated with a priestess as a guide escorted by two acolytes of Negeé may ruin her plan. Also, she noticed that a command of acolytes approaches from another side. Too bad. Would it be another failure?

She can't talk to the man on duty that operates the rail crossing if acolytes may see it. Citizens of Negeémiliel are not allowed to talk to the humans from the Earth. But she badly wants to talk to him. She learned some words in English, only a few, but she doesn't need more now. She prepared a gift for him - something nice for his wife or his girlfriend, or maybe for his daughter - a beautiful dress made of the best spider silk. She keeps it in her bag. And she wants to ask him for just a little favor - to bring her some booklets, and, maybe, a textbook of the language. Well, there is still a chance to talk to him if the acolytes will go away quickly. Otherwise, she will come to the rail crossing another day. And she will try again and again.

She needs those booklets. She needs to learn the language and to learn how she can get to one of those places that she dreams about. The world is so large, there are so much to learn about it! Her Master degree from the University of Negeémiliel is not enough for her now. She knows exactly where the tracks lead. To the left - to Oxford or Cambridge, to the right - to Sorbonne. She wants to go there. Let's hope one day her dream will come true!

I think, those who watch Shabazik for a long time already know who she is. Her name is Briiza. She was a graduate student of the university when she was mobilized to the war, was captured by Mountain elves, barely avoided of being slain because her captors didn't want to keep prisoners, then after the war she ended up in a little village in the mountains where she was doing research for her Master thesis.

--

The picture was inspired by this: fav.me/d349isi
Took me about one year to make it.
The dreams come true!

--
EDIT: added one little detail which was accidentally omitted in the first rendering
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Comments: 42

grisador [2015-10-24 11:19:18 +0000 UTC]

Fnatasy\Myth meets modern ages ! This perfect ! Perfect !

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Billie-Bonce In reply to grisador [2015-10-24 11:36:56 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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grisador In reply to Billie-Bonce [2015-10-25 18:40:43 +0000 UTC]

You're very welcome !

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exocolumn [2014-04-23 12:21:57 +0000 UTC]

This reminds me of the puzzle book "Puzzle Train" that I had when I was a kid. It was a fun good if I remember 

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Billie-Bonce In reply to exocolumn [2014-04-23 18:58:40 +0000 UTC]

Would be interesting to take a look at it. I have never seen it

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exocolumn In reply to Billie-Bonce [2014-04-24 08:42:06 +0000 UTC]

www.amazon.co.uk/Puzzle-Train-…

For some reason its still on sale

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Billie-Bonce In reply to exocolumn [2014-04-24 15:25:06 +0000 UTC]

Nice! Thank you for the link! 

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OhMyGoshItJosh [2014-04-22 23:10:01 +0000 UTC]

That's actually pretty cool. Quite a humorous scene   

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Billie-Bonce In reply to OhMyGoshItJosh [2014-04-23 18:56:57 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! Consider it is just a setting. The "humorous scene" would be the body of an orc stuck to the nose of the train coming out of the tunnel, with a battle ax sticking out from the hole it made  

Jokes aside, I had an idea of a story about a drow warrior girl whose foot got stuck between the rail and the paving on the crossing. Her friends were going to chop her foot off because they believed this would be to only way to save her from being killed by the speeding train. But fortunately the human guard of the crossing understood it and had enough courage to confront the drow warriors and to push then away from the crossing (because surely he already triggered the signal to stop the trains and called the emergency crew which eventually rescued the unfortunate girl)

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OhMyGoshItJosh In reply to Billie-Bonce [2014-04-23 18:58:44 +0000 UTC]

Cool story!!

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Raakone [2013-01-30 16:04:40 +0000 UTC]

Very nice picture. Love all the details, and the background story.

And I like the Eurostar passing through. Interesting to think that somewhere in the Chunnel (or any replacement tunnel) is an "intersection" like this. Also, your choice of Eurostar is the most appropriate, since it "connects" places that are (relatively) different, so it's more fitting than a subway, or a mainline tunnel (e.g. the Swiss railway tunnels, or Canada's Mount Royal tunnel in Montreal)

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Billie-Bonce In reply to Raakone [2013-01-30 23:35:18 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! You are quite right, that's why I chose the Eurostar. Another reason was found in the world of - his underworld of Kazzrad mainly lies under one continent, but has some underground roads leading to another continent under a relatively narrow strait between them.

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Raakone In reply to Billie-Bonce [2013-01-31 05:55:21 +0000 UTC]

Also, looks like the "lover" and the human she has feelings for are on opposite sides of the tracks....this is also fitting.

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Billie-Bonce In reply to Raakone [2013-01-31 20:18:57 +0000 UTC]

The rails connect those who are on different sides along the track (maybe, very far from each other), but they separate those who are close but still on different sides across the track...

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larqven [2012-06-21 16:03:47 +0000 UTC]

The details on this pic are fantastic! This is obviously an intricate pic, but viewers must see the downloaded version or they will be cheating themselves! Roothar is easily recognizable, that the priestess wearing glasses suddenly pops out! All of those detailed stones...I also like the drow slaves wearing bright colors, and the hair details of all those women and girls!

If Kazrrad wasn't fated to be destroyed one day, a scene very much like this might have taken place in Aiers' later technological/industrial age. It is really cool--and strange--to see the interaction of a defined fantasy world with the real one! One also gets a sense of the power of the real world as well, interposed as this train is on a pre-industrial society. Of course, one must appreciate the enormity of leveling ground and laying stones for this railcrossing!

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Billie-Bonce In reply to larqven [2012-06-21 18:47:49 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

I was always intrigued by an idea of interaction of different, hardly compatible worlds.

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larqven In reply to Billie-Bonce [2012-06-21 21:15:52 +0000 UTC]

I know about the compatibility idea. One might almost argue that the train is "deconstructive" of the Kazrrad fantasy setting. But its inclusion and symbolism works; it looks like a "collision" between the two worlds, but the two are melded together. The train crossing makes for a symbol of two different worlds intersecting?

Besides, if underground elves and dwarves actually existed, they might remain traditional in appearance and much of their lives, but also benefit, and also be forced to accomodate the outside world and modernity. Replace the drow and underground setting with tribal peoples, or poorer, traditional europeans in centuries old towns and the effect still works. Just yesterday I learned that the smallest commercially viable island of Hawaii has been purchased, its people having gone from producing pineapples, to serving luxury tourism, and now prospective massive windfarms. A paradise not paved over, but bent to other people and signs of development everywhere, and technology as well.

This pic could be symbolic of the future of Aiers, which will become industrial and technological, with billions of humans or mostly humans, with millions of fantasy race members still existing, but almost drowned out by sheer numbers. A typical train passing through an "elf-town".

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Billie-Bonce In reply to larqven [2012-06-23 18:23:32 +0000 UTC]

I have to admit, you pointed out at most of the ideas that I actually was thinking about before (and during) drawing this picture.

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larqven In reply to Billie-Bonce [2012-06-24 03:53:38 +0000 UTC]

I'm glad!

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ChiefJudge [2012-05-25 11:15:36 +0000 UTC]

Не отстанем от европки - пустим Сапсан через второй туннель.

Люблю такие картины, где мир вымышленный встречается с миром, который существует на самом деле.

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Billie-Bonce In reply to ChiefJudge [2012-05-25 19:53:22 +0000 UTC]

Да ладно, чего нам гоняться за чванливой Европой! Пустим обычную, народную электричку! "Платформы Орково и Гоблинки поезд проследует без остановки. Следующая остановка - станция Гномгород. Выход на правую платформу."

Я тоже люблю пересечения реального и вымышленного миров. Чем забавнее, тем лучше.

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ChiefJudge In reply to Billie-Bonce [2012-05-28 10:20:17 +0000 UTC]

Да, представил эдакую зелёную змею, выползающую из тоннеля... Евростар спрячется обратно в темноту.

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Ferrabra [2012-05-22 04:03:02 +0000 UTC]

Великолепно!

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Billie-Bonce In reply to Ferrabra [2012-05-22 10:41:51 +0000 UTC]

Спасибо!

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pete1672 [2012-05-22 03:44:12 +0000 UTC]

I can only echo what's already been said, this is a fantastic work. Thanks for posting

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Billie-Bonce In reply to pete1672 [2012-05-22 10:42:04 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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Blades-123 [2012-05-20 15:18:35 +0000 UTC]

Great idea, superb, detailed image.

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Billie-Bonce In reply to Blades-123 [2012-05-21 08:13:46 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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G-0509 [2012-05-20 07:23:12 +0000 UTC]

Lovely! )))

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Billie-Bonce In reply to G-0509 [2012-05-21 08:16:08 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

BTW, how are you doing?

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G-0509 In reply to Billie-Bonce [2012-05-27 19:25:49 +0000 UTC]

i'm okay. ))) doing batiks )))

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Billie-Bonce In reply to G-0509 [2012-05-27 20:29:21 +0000 UTC]

Great! Glad to hear it!

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aquaTICKworld [2012-05-20 05:02:34 +0000 UTC]

Lots of work went into this. Your picture descriptions - stories are always great!

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Billie-Bonce In reply to aquaTICKworld [2012-05-21 08:12:28 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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fonejackboy [2012-05-19 15:57:31 +0000 UTC]

I liked how you used the Eurostar.

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Billie-Bonce In reply to fonejackboy [2012-05-19 21:31:23 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! Well, if any dwarfs, drow, trolls, etc. will ever show up, I believe that passengers of the Eurostar should be the first who'll see them

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fonejackboy In reply to Billie-Bonce [2012-05-19 22:02:55 +0000 UTC]

I agree. By the way is the Eurostar supposed to symbolize anything?

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Billie-Bonce In reply to fonejackboy [2012-05-19 22:16:50 +0000 UTC]

Well, looking through *Shabazik 's pictures I always thought how funny should be to have a railroad crossing in the world where drow and dwarfes (and orcs, and goblins, and demons) live. And what could go along those rails in the caves? Either a subway... or the Eurostar I thought, the Eurostar would be better.

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fonejackboy In reply to Billie-Bonce [2012-05-20 06:43:23 +0000 UTC]

I see.

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Shabazik [2012-05-19 15:55:08 +0000 UTC]

Oh, WOW!

Just WOW! Is incredible all, all, all the diferent textures and the ammount of work that went into doing this pic!!

the stones of the floor, the stalatgites, walls, the rails and the crossing -the metro!- the mails, the textures of clothes and more!

Is just incredible! an excelent work!!

The first I see and recognized where Milvais and Roothar... and much in the background, Quilintha. The priestess with glasses could be Chib'Inomae, I think I recognize as well in the background Laeh'le dahl'arak and her sister in her armor. Along may or not be Achie..

I don't think I recognice the slaves but they have some very beautiful and bright dresses!... wait... aren't them the slaves of the high soreceress?! <(^ ^)>

The acolyte along with Milvais... maybe is her sister "Raven"? maybe not... I have so many acolytes-characters! XD
Or I'm mistaken, and instead of them, are the same escorts of Chib'Inomae? Surely they could be!
And poor Briiza, her plans frustrated! XD

Many, many thanks Billioe-Bonce!! It really show why it take you so much time!

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Billie-Bonce In reply to Shabazik [2012-05-19 22:09:33 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

Honestly, only Roothar, Chib'Inomae, non-recognizable Briiza (I couldn't see any way how to make her recognizable), and Rhea in the background in her beautiful armor were made intentionally. I didn't want to put anybody from the drow trio in one scene with Roothar - we can imagine what consequences can be if they meet each other (especially in the area where using weapons is strictly prohibited)! But I used pictures with them ( [link] and [link] ) as references for ceremonial armor and clothes for marching - that's why you can suppose that they are there, too. And slave girls are just nameless slaves. I suppose Roothar simply fulfills a new delivery. Lucky girls, they had so much fun on their way - bright lights, closing barriers with flashing red lamps, and then - the rushing Eurostar in all its glory.

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Shabazik In reply to Billie-Bonce [2012-05-19 22:19:00 +0000 UTC]

Yay for the rushing eurostar in all its glory!

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